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Austin Larson shares his experience growing an e-commerce business to 8 figures without ads. Learn More about Austin IG: https://www.instagram.com/driven2do/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/a.lars24 Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

On this episode, Callye Keen brings Weston Wenner to give real insight to winning in a competitive industry. We talk CBD and snakes. Learn more about Weston CBD: https://any1cbd.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_retics/ YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNkwPYAFrDVI4HQP2s1MjIQ Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Welcome back to the End Hype podcast.  In episode 112 Callye Keen welcomes back Julie Traxler, co-founder of SB PACE to dispel the myths around followers.  There is a misconception that there is a direct correlation between followers and customers.  That correlation doesn't exist.  10,000 followers does not equate to 10,000 paying customers.  And at the end of the day, that’s what you need, paying customers. Paying customers means everything in business.  Followers don’t matter.  Listen in as Callye and Julie talk about alternative methods to social media marketing, and why someone who is watching you on social media platforms is more likely to buy from you than someone who is actually following and engaging with you on social media and social networks. And you’re more likely to make a purchase during a product launch from someone and then start following them to support a product or service you like than you are to follow someone and then make a purchase.  It’s not a straight line from follower to sale. [10:03] Get out of your head You've created some kind of crazy obstacle and you say if I do these things, then I'm going to be ready to offer something to my audience. I can tell you that you're just adding risk. And you're also building up an audience that doesn't know you're about to offer this thing. It's all in your head. You're complicating the product development process. [10:57] What are you afraid of How many people do you think are afraid to move off of social media as the marketing tool for their company because they're uncertain. Either they're afraid of the work effort to go someplace else. Or because they are afraid that maybe they don't actually have something that people want to buy? What if the fear is they will never make revenue, so they don't try? [12:34] Who already has the attention of your audience If he wanted to do this through social media, he'd have to create a Facebook page or start polling people, find all the Facebook groups created and start messaging. He'd have to do the whole social media thing from scratch. Now using the simple techniques that I use, we just went to the bike shop. Get in front of where the traffic already is. People in a bike shop, what do you know about them? Right off the bat. They like biking. They have a high intent ratio of purchasing like products. [17:00] Know your customer You have to go where your actual customer is. I think a lot of people don't know where their customer is though, because they don't know who their customer is. Yes. So we dial it all the way back. And that's why I shared a new benchmarking tool that we're working on. [18:03] Partnerships  Then I show them what you could do with B2B, what you can do with partnership deals. And it’s this lightbulb moment, “I'm missing this whole other side of my brain”. [19:52] Ideal customer That is not how things went, it was tons of networking to get in front of people, talk and figure out who our customer is and how we talk to them.  How do we get specifically in front of that person and talk to that ideal customer versus everybody in the universe and hope that what we're saying resonates with the person we want to work with. “People don't care enough about you to get offended at something that you do. And if they do, if you're living so rent free inside of somebody's head that they're obsessed with stuff that you do, they weren't going to be a customer in the first place there. You're not going to convert the unconvertible.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Welcome back to the End Hype podcast.  Today is Part 2 of Product Launch and Brand Breakdown with host Callye Keen.  If you missed part 1, check out episode 110. In today’s episode Callye continues the conversation with business coach and operations expert, Julie Traxler of SB PACE, Tim Kincer and Logan Sanburn of Timberwolf Supply Co. In Part 1 we talked about the importance of your business name, the power of telling stories, how to build an audience, and how money doesn’t solve problems, it just buys you speed.  In part 2 we talk about leveraging other people's products, why it pays to care more about your audience, brand development, marketing strategy, brand strategy, and speed to market. [00:25] Planning horizon Right now, because you don't have a brand, if it takes you more than a couple of weeks to get a prototype in hand, your idea is too complicated. If you have to invest more than a handful of dollars in it, it's too expensive. [01:25] Develop better products I come from a product development world. And in that world, we think of everything as prototypes. And what a prototype's job is to reveal and answer questions. It's to reveal the gaps in our knowledge so we can make a better version of it. It's to help develop a solid product roadmap. Maybe improve an existing product. [02:22] Traction products I have a different strategy I think works for physical products better. We've had clients make millions of dollars in a strategy called traction products. It's a tremendous tool to acquire new customers, clarify your target market, and get wins in the early stages. [03:01] Other people’s products This is why I like beauty products. I like supplements because there's whole companies that provide white labeling and co-packing for you. You don't have to have an infrastructure business.  You don't need to follow a product development process. You can focus on white label products. You can look across the market for product ideas. [08:59] Care more When you actually care and actually know your audience, it's really easy to step into that role of saying this is what I would want and reasonably assert that other people would want it as well.  [14:34] Think fast and scrappy A big mistake that people make is making a walled garden for their business.  They think it's gotta be perfect before releasing it, having a really cool website and an awesome logo. When in reality, for a lot of supplements and supplement companies that are starting, it looks like getting a vile of stuff in a white jar. We need to start thinking fast and scrappy.  [17:35] Communication Communication breeds clarity. If you can't communicate your brand, it's very hard to do any type of meaningful marketing or any type of B2B sales. [21:43] Customer acquisition In general, acquiring a customer is getting more expensive. So then if you look at your costs and your margins, especially when you're starting, it's a really easy way to lose a lot of money. [24:31] I want you to think about this, how are you going to acquire a customer? Where are they going to buy from you? What's going to capture their attention on that platform? And once you can answer some of those questions, we can back into what you can do. “Businesses are here to make money and a business should be making you money and giving you freedom.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Welcome to End Hype podcast.  Episode 110 is Part 1 of a two part podcast where Callye Keen welcomes back business coach and operations expert, Julie Traxler of SB PACE. Together, Callye and Julie introduce the upcoming product launch that Tim Kincer and Logan Sanburn have been working on since the fall of 2020. Tim and Logan love the outdoors, and during a hunting trip to Colorado found an opportunity in the market with pre-packaged foods marketed towards outdoorsmen. Current products are not optimal for fueling our bodies, and Tim and Logan have a plan to solve that gap.  Solving that problem during a worldwide pandemic proved difficult. Supply chain issues were the tip of the iceberg. With so many people going into “prepper” status and building up their “end of the world supplies”, it made it impossible for a new small business to gain traction with production companies. The demand for pre-packaged food production caused Tim and Logan to get creative, and resulted in the creation of a second product development opportunity, a nootropics drink stick. [11:00] Your business name Your brand is what someone else tells someone else it is. It's the story about you when you're not in the room. Your company name can be totally made up. It could be nonsense. As long as somebody can remember what it is, they can write it down and they can spell it when you tell them over the phone.  [15:25] The power of story Our brains are hardwired from primitive times to remember things in terms of stories. And we are incredibly selfish beings. We only remember things relative to ourselves. So stories allow us to be Harry Potter, right?   [18:39] Audience over everything So most people that start a business spend money, but then they don't have an audience. And they think that if they have a product, then they will be able to get an audience, which is exactly wrong. It's precisely the opposite.  [21:52] Money doesn’t solve problems Money doesn't solve problems, it buys you speed. This is the biggest mental problem that people have.  I make all kinds of wild things. And in every one of those cases where the business is successful, we incrementally grow that brand and audience with a solid launch strategy and brand development. [25:01] Start small How do I monetize my audience? Get a bigger audience, first of all. Second, you have to know what they want. It starts with building a very small group and talking to 10 people that are my target group. Have a strategic marketing plan, an email marketing strategy, build your email list, and talk to other entrepreneurs. [31:01] Build an audience Somebody already has enough of your audience where you can make a million dollars in a month. Being able to describe your brand, describe who you are, telling your story well enough to get that one deal because that one deal will change your life and change your business. “You're $1400 bucks in. You're a 301 redirect away from a more memorable brand. All of the advice I have is because I've already made this mistake or I've already worked with somebody where we have encountered this mistake over and over again.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

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Create resilience or prepare for failure. Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Callye Keen sits down with Chalo Hernandez of El Paso, TX.  Chalo and Callye share experiences of growing up in family owned product businesses.  The challenges.  The opportunities, and how that experience has shaped their career paths. Chalo’s parents immigrated from Mexico, and started Tortilleria Cuauhtémoc, their food based business with nothing more than a dream and their credit cards.  Now Chalo begins the process of taking over the business that has been in his family since he was eight years old.   Over the past 20 years that business has grown from nothing to 40 employees, six delivery trucks, and over 250 regular accounts. Their products are special because they have no preservatives in them.  There is nothing to extend the shelf life, which makes logistics a key component of their success.  As Chalo moves into that role he created an online store and has set a goal to ship their fresh tortillas and chips to all 50 states before the end of 2022.   [04:16] Family business before all else In middle school we would have parent teacher conferences and 99 percent of the time my parents wouldn't be able to attend because of the business. They were grinding it out. I would see my friends go out to the mall and I would call my parents, "hey, can I go with my friends? They are going to go hang out."   And that was just not allowed because I had to work in the family business.  There was always a need for more corn tortillas and flour tortillas. [07:23] No need for a resume Friends don’t understand when I tell them I don’t have a resume.  I’ve never needed one.  I’ve never been on a job interview or filled out an employment application.  I’ve never had those experiences, yet I’ve interviewed lots of people for jobs in our company.  It’s always been the family business for me. Even before my formal education was complete, I knew I would be working in a legacy business. [10:00] Employee mindset People will bring the employee mindset into their business.  “I'm going to be my own boss. I'm not going to have to answer to anyone.”  The reality is every employee is your boss. Every customer is your boss. The bank's going to be your boss.  All you've done is sign up for every single person in the world to be your boss.  [11:08] How do you sell tortillas? We’ve built this business without paid ads or an intentional marketing strategy.  The quality of our products and word of mouth have been the biggest factors in growing the business.  It’s only recently that we have started focusing more on social media and marketing.  We’ve grown because we care about our customers and our quality.  We make a thicker tortilla, which makes for a better experience.  [14:21] Layering success As a business, how can you take what’s already working and layer new success on top of that?  Subscriptions are one way to layer success.   [22:38] Start with the end Start with the end in mind. Understand what you want the company to grow into.. How do you want it to look?  How many employees?  How many locations?  Start building in that direction or you’re going to end up somewhere you don’t want to be.  Don’t leave it up to chance.   “​​It sounds like magic, but it is a harsh reality. The thing that you want, you couldn't keep it if you got it, because you're not the person that would be able to run with it. Yet.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Welcome to End Hype podcast, in episode 106 Callye Keen is sharing some hard truths for entrepreneurs to hear, and they all center around email marketing. If you’re a coach or a knowledge worker it’s easy to understand the strategy behind growing a list and sending out lead magnet offers. But for product based businesses, an email list strategy can be confusing. It takes more than sending out regular newsletters to your list, and then hitting them with an offer when you have a new product launch.  “Email marketing is both a powerful tool and it's an archaic annoyance.” [03:26] Email enhancement Email is still very powerful, but how, and when can you deploy email to enhance the customer experience and enhance revenue? Let's put this in simple terms. How can we make money with email, make happy customers instead of annoying people?  [05:43] The customer journey Here's the big challenge: create an email that's worth reading, great headline, great hook, great content. It requires effort. It requires creating a customer journey. Most people don't want effort. They want magical thinking. They want silver bullets. They want to be able to slap and smash their product in somebody's face over and over again until they purchase it. [09:54] Lead magnets If you can figure out what your customer is trying to do, what their goal is, you can make a cheat sheet, an ebook, a guide that helps them mentally process what they're trying to do. Maybe it's a review. Maybe it's all the different products that they need for their camping trip. Maybe it's everything that they need to cook that perfect first date meal. I don't know what you sell, but you can definitely produce a lead magnet.   [12:18] Strong relationships I really like the idea of starting relationships off in a strong way. If I can help somebody achieve what they want to achieve, I can send emails that contain a lead magnet that puts me in the best situation. It also puts me in a really great situation to explain the context and value of that specific product or our product line, and then give them a call to action to purchase it. This improves conversion rates and helps build a successful brand. [14:21] Newsletters are trash Do I enjoy getting newsletters in general? The answer is no. Why do people do it? In theory they are still more effective than nothing. In practice it's because email marketers don't care about your customer. If you're using an email marketing agency, they don't care about your customers. If you use this tactic, you don't care about your customers. Customer feedback and open rates will confirm this. [20:30] Meaningful emails If it's supporting something that's important to those people, to your customers, you can fill them with positive energy, with happiness. Something that will motivate them to share it out, to spread your message. It's not going to be a discount. It's not going to be because you hammered them with a newsletter every week. It has to be something that goes to their core values.  Those emails result in customer interaction with your brand. Consumers will share that on Facebook. “​​Your emails. They annoy everyone. They prevent people from purchasing.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

When you hear some amazing piece of fortune cookie coaching, does that phrase unlock new thoughts and modes of being or is it BS? Is the opposite equally true?  What if the biggest opportunities in life were from thinking the opposite as the trending "truth"? Contrarian Thinking provides exactly this approach.  Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

Learn how social selling is changing ecommerce. How will you prepare and take advantage of this growing mega-trend? Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement

End Hype host Callye Keen dives into the future of e-commerce, looking at Shopify trends.  It’s hard to believe that e-commerce isn’t the leading way consumers buy.  Online stores are so prevalent in our lives.  Especially after the past 2 years, with more businesses online.  E-Commerce is on the rise, and Shopify is the platform that most direct to consumer businesses use.   Shopify recently released The Future of Commerce report, and they cover the same topics I cover in group coaching, in my Facebook group, and on this podcast. Today we’re going to talk about one of those trends, rising customer acquisition costs. A topic that includes brand messaging, brand strategy, and satisfying the market.  “Direct to consumer competition is rising. Advertising costs are skyrocketing across platforms and brand building is helping attract and keep customers.” [01:44]  Brand loyalty and product fit is a necessity  Rising acquisition costs are forcing brands to foster long-term relationships with their customers. Actually building real brands. Getting off the addiction to paid ads. As e-commerce grows, as more big brands see e-commerce as their main channel, the competition for eyeballs is fierce.  [04:01] Don’t blame iOS We could also try to blame the iOS update and technical reasons for why ads are getting more expensive.  But I'm seeing this kind of cumulative effect because as ads work less, people are spending more to get less. Instead of people leaving the system, they're spending more money.  Ad expense is increasing as its effectiveness decreases. [06:15] Long term strategy over short term gains If you think of spending money on ads as a brand positioning exercise at the top of your funnel, in which you continue to nurture a community of customers, you're going to win. [09:17] Measure what matters You need to figure out how to measure what's important to you. How many customers do you need to get? What's their average order? How many customers do you need to return? Who's opening up your emails? [10:20] Position yourself for success The long-term optimal scenario is to not spend any money on ads. Maybe on ads for growth or penetrating a new market, but best case scenario, no ads. Your product sells because people love you. They want what you have. And when you announce that it's coming, it sells out. That's what real product market fit looks like.  [12:48] Try a marketplace Shopify suggests using marketplaces as both sales and marketing channels for your ecommerce business. A place where you can list your product and sell it everywhere. Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Etsy are great examples. This doesn't have to be your home base of operations. But if you're looking at additional channels to test, if you're looking at new channels to acquire customers, these people own the eyeballs. Marketplaces are an effective marketing strategy.  [16:00] Differentiate If you want to build a brand it needs to be simple and memorable. Something people can remember so they tell others, but it needs to deeply resonate with who they are. You don't need everyone. The world is big.  “Everything works until it doesn't, but the brand will always work. It is an eternal strategy. So you've got to figure out how to speak to somebody. Create differentiation, create a community, curate that community, nurture that community.” Join The End Hype Movementredbluecollective.com/movement